Continuous-electric-arc welding



Jan. 7, 1930. A. J. HAND CONTINUOUS ELECTRIC ARC WELDING Filed Feb. 15,1927 INVENTOR I ATTORNEYS.

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Patented Jan. 7, 1930 .umran STATES] pares-roman Lususrm 3.1mm), orBERKELEY, curl-om nssmnon r .cnnmonnm-conam enrnncunvnnr comment, ornnnxnnmr, cnmronmn, A concurrent-or our:

IORNIA conrmuous-nnncraro-nnc wmnme Application am February.15,'1927.Serial No. 168,808.

My invention relates-to electric arc welding, and more particularly to amethod and apparatus for holding and feeding electrodes in such a manneras to maintain a continuous '5 are for an indefinite time.

In electric arcwelding, the tip of the electrode is graduall decomposedand burned .away by the hig temperature of the arc,

' necessitating a, constant forward feedlng. 10 When said electrode isfinally burned away, it is necessary to stop the process, breaking thecontinuity of the arc, in order to permit the installation .of anew-electrode. In welding a continuous seam or joint, such stoppage 16results in an im erfection in the weld.

The object 0 my present invention is to provide for maintaining acontinuous arc, in

order to prevent stoppage for replacing elec- -trodes and to eliminatethe imperfections in .20 the work caused thereby.

.I achieve this result by providing two alternate electrodes, either oneof 'which is alwaysin operation, so that the other may be removed andreplaced when burned away. I

'3 also. provide means for automatically causing either electrode totake up, the load when .the

other is burned away, and means for autofimaticsu feeding forward theactive elec- Y trode w ile the other'is being replaced so The objectsand advantages of the invention will be a parentfrom the followingspecification and the accompanying drawings, which should be, read withthe understanding the limits' of the claims hereto appended, withoutdeparting from" the spirit-of the invention as set forth in said claims.

' With this in view my invention will now be described fully withreference to the accompanying drawin s, wherein:

' Fig. 1 is a part sectional front elevation of a welding apparatusembodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the upper portionof the same.

- Fig. 2" is a side elevation of the lower portion of the same,-and is acontinuation of Fig. 2.

60 Fig. 3 is 11 broken partsectional detail of that the form,construction, and arrangement' of the several parts may be varied'within'nthe feed shifting mechanism, certain parts being omitted forthe sake of clearness.

Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken on the line H of Fig. 1 andenlarged.-

' Fig. 5 is a transverse section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1. Fig. 6is a transverse section. taken-on the line 6+6 of Fig. 1. In thedrawings, the re ference numeral 1 designates the frameof-the device,and 2, Fig. 1, is the work.'-'-3 and 3 are the electrodes, both'being ofthe-same polarity. It is to. be understood that, in the example shown,the work 2 constitutes the electrode of opposite polarity, the are 4being formed between said work and one of the electrodes 3 or 3.-

Electric current is supplied to the electrodes 3'and 3 by a wire 5, Fig.2, connected with a suitable bus-bar 6 secured to the frame liandextending downwardly therefrom. At its lower end said bus-bar supports abrush structure contacting with the electrodes. This brush structurepreferably comprises a cop er block 7, Figs. 1, 2, and 6, secured to theus-bar 6 and suitably rooved toreceive the electrodes 3 and 3, an a airof swinging-blocks 8, hinged to the lock 7 at 9, grooved correspondinglthereto, and yieldably held by a' link and spring device 10 to clamp theelectrodes between said blocks 8 and the block 7. Thus the electrodesare free to move up and down, but are held in proper lateral position,and are provided with good electrical connection with the bus-bar 6.

.. .The electrodes. 3 and 3' are respectively "mounted, at 11 and 11,Fig. 1, in the lower ends'of exteriorly threaded holder rods 12 and 12,which are longitudinally slidable in sleeves 13 and 13, and said sleevesare both rotatable and longitudinally movable in suitable bearings 14and 14' in the frame 1. The rods 12 and 12' are provided withlongitudinal grooves or key ways 15 and 15', adapted for engagementwithkeys 16 and 16 (Fig. 4:) secured to the sleeves 13 and 13', so thatthe respective sleeves and rods must rotate to-' gether.

To the upper ends of the sleeves 13 and 13' are secured gears 17 and 17respectively, Figs. 1, 3 and 4, which mesh with a central idler pinion18 when said sleeves are in their lowern'iost positions in theirbearings 1 t and 11. The idler 13 nit-shes with a gear 19 on the upperend of a short vertical shaft 20,

Figs. 2 and i. which is driven by a horizontal shaft 21 through bevelgears 22, Figs. 1, 2 and 4-. Thus when said shaft 21 is rotated, by anysuitable outside means, not shown, the movement is transmitted throughthe above described gearing to the sleeves 13 and 13, causing them andthe electrode holding rods 12 and 12 to rotate. The sleeve gears 17 and17 may be thrown out of mesh with the idler 18 by elevating theirrespective sleeves 13 and 13. In Figs. 1 and 3, the gear 17 is shown inmesh with the idler 18, whereas the gear 17' is out of mesh therewith.

The rotation of the holder rods 12 and 12 causes them to advancedownwardly, to feed the electrodes toward the work, by means ofmechanism now to be described. The frame 1, above the gears 17 and 17',supports a pair of swinging arms 23 and 23, Figs. 1 and 5, respectivelypivoted at 24. and and prox'ided with semi-circular interiorly threadedsockets 25 and 25', Fig. 5, adapted for engagement with the threads ofthe rods 12 and 12. The inner ends of the arms 23 and 23' are connectedwith the frame by spring snap devices, comprising telescoping members 26and 27 and 26' and 27' separated by springs 28 and 28', so that saidarms are held either in engagement with the rods 12 and 12, as shown infull lines, or out of such engagement, as the arm 23 is shown in dottedlines. Stops 29 and 29' are provided to limit the movement of the armsin their non-engaging positions. Thus when the arms 23 and 23 are in thepositions shown in full lines in Fig. 5, the engagement of the threadedsockets 25 and 25 with the rods 12 and 12' causes, said. rods to advancedownwardly when rotated, and when said arms are thrown out of suchengagement, as is indicated by the dotted line position of the arm 23,the rods may rotate freely without longitudinal movement.

In the operation of the apparatus, assuming it to be provided with twofull length electrodes 3 and 3, one of said electrodes, for example 3,is positioned with its end some.- what below the end of the otherelectrode 3, as shown in Fig. 1. The sleeve 13 is lowered, to mesh itsgear 17 with the idler 18. The other sleeve 13 is raised, to keep itsgear 17' out of mesh with said idler. Both feed arms 23 and 23 arethrown into engagement with the rods 12 and 12', the are 4 is struck,and the food drive shaft 21 is set in rotation. The are will playbetween the work and nearest electrode, as shown.

The rod 12 and the electrode 3 now feed downwardly, the speed of thedrive mechanism being understood to be suitably proportioned to the rateof burning away of the electrode. The electrode 3 remains at rest.

33 and This condition continues until the electrode 3 is so far burnedaway as to be no longer serviceable, whereupon its advance isautomatically stopped, and the other electrode 3 begins to advance.\Vhen the end of the second electrode 3 approaches closer to the workthan the now stationary first electrode 3, the are naturally jumps overto said second electrode and so remains. The first electrode 3 can thenbe removed and replaced, in readiness to take up the are when the secondelectrode 3 is burned away. Thus the arc is continuously maintained.

The mechanism for automatically shifting the feed from one electrode tothe other will now be described. At the upper ends of the rods 12 and12, immediately above their threaded portions, are smooth portions ofreduced diameter shown at 30 and 30, Fig. 1, and a short distance abovethese are slidable collars 31 and 31. Springs 32 and 32 interposedbetween said collars and suitable heads 33, press said collarsdownwardly against suitable limiting shoulders 34 and 34. Between therods 12 and 12, a fixed stud 35 rises from the frame 1, and carries aslide 36, which has an upper pair of lateral arms 37 and 37 and a lowerpair of arms 38 and 38', Figs. 1 and These arms are provided withapertures through which the rods 12 and 12 freely pass.

Assuming the apparatus to be operating as described above, with theelectrode 3 carrying the arc and being fed downwardly when saidelectrode is burned away to its limit, the

smooth reduced portion 30 of the rod 12 comes under the threaded feedarm 23, and the downward feed of said electrode thereupon ceases.Slightly before said downward feed ceases, however, the collar 31contacts with the upper arm 37 of the slide 36, and said slide isthereby carried downwardly with the last portion of the feeding movementof the rod 12. This causes the lower arm 38' of said slide to bear uponthe upper end of the sleeve 13', as shown in Fig. 3, and to move saidsleeve downwardly, causing its gear 17' to engage the continuouslyrotating idler 18.

Both rods 12 and 12' are now rotating. The rod 12 with its electrode 3'begins to feed downwardly, while the downward feed of the rod 12 ceasesas described above. The electrode 3 thereupon takes up the arc, andcontinues the process without interruption. The operator then removesthe rod 12 and what remains of the electrode 3, first swinging thethreaded feed arm 23 'to its non-engaging position. He also raises thesleeve 13 to disengage its gear 17 from the idler 18, at the same timeraising the slide 36 to its upper or normal position. After installing anew electrode in the end of the rod 12, he re-inserts said rod into itssleeve 13and lowers it until the end of its electrode passes through thecontact brush structure 7--8, and is slightly paratus comprising a abovethe active end of the electrode 3'. He

tions corresponding to but reversed rom those initially described. Theoperation I may breaking the arc. f I claim 1. A continuous electric arcwelding apparatus comprising a plurality of adjacent electrodesmaintained at the same electrical potential; another electrodepositioned to establish an are between it and any of the first mentionedelectrodes; and means for automatically transferring the are withoutinterruption from one to another of the first mentioned electrodes.

2. A continuous electric arc welding apparatus comprising a plurality ofadjacent electrodes maintained at the same electrical potential; anotherelectrode positioned to establish an arc between it and any of the firstmentioned electrodes; and means for successively feeding the firstmentioned electrodes forwardly to automatically transfer the are withoutinterruption from one to another thereof. Y Y 3. A continuous electricarc welding appa-' ratus comprising a plurality of adj acent electrodesmaintained at the same electrical potential; another electrodepositioned to es tablish an are between it and any of the firstmentioned electrodes; means for feeding the first mentioned electrodesforwardly; and

means for automatically transferring .the'

feeding movement and the are from one to another of the first mentionedelectrodes without interruption.

4. A continuous electric arc welding apparatus comprising a plurality ofadjacent elec- 1 trodes maintained at the same'electrical-pm;

tential; another electrode positioned to establish an are between it andany of the first Lmovement into and out of engagement with 'i-saiddriving gear.

the are from one to another of the first men-1" "-1 tioned electrodeswithout interruption; and: means, for automatically feeding the activeone of the first mentioned electrodes. formentioned electrodes; meansfor transferring wardly. 5. A c0ntinuous .electric arc welding appajratus comprising? pair'of adjacent electrodes.

maintained at the same electrical potential;-

and means for alternately and independentljflf .tating feeding saidelectrodes forwardly:

6. A continuous electric arc welding apair of adjacent electrodesmaintained at tlie-same electrical otential; mechanism for separatelyfeeding said electrodes forwardly; power driving means; and means foralternately connect ing' saidpower driving means with the feed mechanismof the two electrodes.

. transferring movable ded rods bywhich said elecmeans for rotating saidrods; and means for said rotating means from one to the other 0 saidrods.

,tentiah'a air'of rotatable and longitudinally.

trodes are respectively, carried; members 1 adapted for threadedengagement with said rods to cause them to advance whenrotated;

.70 thus be continued indefinitely without 8. A continuous electric arcwelding ap paratus comprising a pair of adjacent elec trodes maintainedat t e same electrical pomovable threaded rods by which said electrodesare respectively carried; members.

adapted for threaded engagement with said rods to cause them to advancewhen rotated; means for rotatingeach rod independently; a continuouslyrotating member; and means for successively throwing said rod rotatingvtrodes are respectively carried; members adapted for threaded engagementwith said rods to cause them'to advance when rotated,

said members being movable into and out of rotating said rods.

10. A continuous. electric arc welding apparatus comprising a air ofadjacent electrodes maintained at t e same electrical otential a pair ofrotatable and longitudina y movable threaded rods by which saidelectrodes are respectively carried; -members adapted for threadedengagement with said rods to cause them to advance when rotated; adriving, ear; and a gear surrounding and rotating with each rod, andadapted for axial 1.. A continuous electric arc welding apparatjuscomprising readed rods by which said electrodes are respectivelycarried; members adapted for threaded engagement with said rods to causethem to advance when rotated; at driving gear; a gear surrounding androwith each rod, and adapted for axial movement into and out of eng saiddriving gear; and means or automatically movin said rod gearsinto suchengagement wit said driving ear. 12. The method of maintamingwacontinuous arc in electric welding which consists in independentlyadvancing a plurality of separate electrodes maintained at the sameelectrical potential and automatically transferring an arcwithoutinterruption from one electrode to another.

ent'witlr:

, tential; a pair of rotatable and longitudinally a a air of adjacentelec trodes maintained at t e same electrical tential; a air ofrotatable and longitudina liy movable t Q0 movable threaded rods bywhich said elec- 95 such engagement; and means for successively 13. Acontinuous electric arc welding apparatus comprising a air of electrodespositioned with their active ends adjacent each other; a guide memberwith which said electrodes have sliding contact, said guide member beingadapted to conduct an electric current to both said electrodes at thesame potential; and means for alternately advancing said electrodes.

H. The method of maintaining a continuous electric are which consists insuccessively advancing a plurality of electrodes maintained at the sameelectrical potential toward another electrode maintained at a difl'erentelectrical potential; causing an arc to play between said otherelectrode and the advancing first mentioned electrode; and transferringthe are, without interrupting its continuity, from one to another of thefirst mentioned electrodes as the same are successively advanced.

15. The method of electric welding which consists in fusing the work bymaintaining an are continuously and without interruption between it andone of a plurality of elect rmles maintained at theStlIllQQltlCtl'lCill. potential, by the automatic timely substitution ofsaid electrodes.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

' AUGUSTIN J. HAND.

